Stem traits, compartments, and tree species affect fungal communities on decaying wood

TY - JOUR

T1 - Stem traits, compartments, and tree species affect fungal communities on decaying wood

AU - Yang, Shanshan

AU - Poorter, Lourens

AU - Kuramae, Eiko

AU - Sass-Klaassen, Ute

AU - Leite, M.F.A.

AU - Costa, Ohana Y.A.

AU - Kowalchuk, George

AU - Cornelissen, Johannes H.C.

AU - Van Hal, Jurgen

AU - Goudzwaard, Leo

AU - Hefting, Mariet M.

AU - Van Logtestijn, Richard S.P.

AU - Sterck, Franck J.

N1 - 7383, ME;

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Dead wood quantity and quality is important for forest biodiversity, by determining wood-inhabiting fungal assemblages. We therefore evaluated how fungal communities were regulated by stem traits and compartments (i.e. bark, outer- and inner wood) of 14 common temperate tree species. Fresh logs were incubated in a common garden experiment in a forest site in the Netherlands. After 1 and 4 years of decay, the fungal composition of different compartments was assessed using Internal Transcribed Spacer amplicon sequencing. We found that fungal alpha diversity differed significantly across tree species and stem compartments, with bark showing significantly higher fungal diversity than wood. Gymnosperms and Angiosperms hold different fungal communities, and distinct fungi were found between inner wood and other compartments. Stem traits showed significant afterlife effects on fungal communities; traits associated with accessibility (e.g. conduit diameter), stem chemistry (e.g. C, N, lignin) and physical defence (e.g. density) were important factors shaping fungal community structure in decaying stems. Overall, stem traits vary substantially across stem compartments and tree species, thus regulating fungal communities and the long-term carbon dynamics of dead trees.

AB - Dead wood quantity and quality is important for forest biodiversity, by determining wood-inhabiting fungal assemblages. We therefore evaluated how fungal communities were regulated by stem traits and compartments (i.e. bark, outer- and inner wood) of 14 common temperate tree species. Fresh logs were incubated in a common garden experiment in a forest site in the Netherlands. After 1 and 4 years of decay, the fungal composition of different compartments was assessed using Internal Transcribed Spacer amplicon sequencing. We found that fungal alpha diversity differed significantly across tree species and stem compartments, with bark showing significantly higher fungal diversity than wood. Gymnosperms and Angiosperms hold different fungal communities, and distinct fungi were found between inner wood and other compartments. Stem traits showed significant afterlife effects on fungal communities; traits associated with accessibility (e.g. conduit diameter), stem chemistry (e.g. C, N, lignin) and physical defence (e.g. density) were important factors shaping fungal community structure in decaying stems. Overall, stem traits vary substantially across stem compartments and tree species, thus regulating fungal communities and the long-term carbon dynamics of dead trees.

KW - national

KW - Plan_S-Compliant-OA

U2 - 10.1111/1462-2920.15953

DO - 10.1111/1462-2920.15953

M3 - Article

SN - 1462-2912

VL - 24

SP - 3625

EP - 3639

JO - Environmental Microbiology

JF - Environmental Microbiology

IS - 8

ER -